The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-07

he did so, n change came over his face,
and his lips shut tightly.
In memory of Walter Raymond" it
ran, "who fell at Shiloh, April 9th,
1862"
Beneath was a simple inscription,
which showed that he and Carroll had
fought under opposite flags.
at was long time ago." the wom-
an ventured to remark, as she saw
him making out the figures, Though
when came here this morning, 1t
seemed but yesterday"
"Then this is your husband s
grave?" said Carroll, not so much
now with the wish to know more as
to keep back the bitter recollections
over which he had so little control.
Eyes, sir, this is my husbands
grave" shereplied; and pointing to the
smaller ones, "and these are my
childrens-"
care all your family here, them" con-
tinued Carroll, his heart touched once
more, now the unpleasant surprise was
over.
mo, sir, not ALL there is one left.
we nad Dut TWO wnen ne went away
agirl and u boy-a fine boy. The baby
he never saw, but he wrote often then,
and always OF coming back to see il"
"Was it long before the battle that
you heard from him last?" asked Car
roll, still struggling with his feelings.
ooh no; the very night before Shiloh
he sent long, hopeful letter-'twas so
good and-then it was the last. Some
how, ! feared it was the last-he spoke
so often OF the baby-and-and-so
.tenderly of-me."
Carroll. did not lool, up. He had
stopped down again, and was busy
with the sods and stone.
"Twas in that letter" she con-
tinued, after q little, chat he first
seemed to fear how his life would end.
Somehow it seemed that he could not
end that letter; but finally, in one cor
ner away along the side, he spoke OF
the names we talked OF for the baby,
and then-there was-'Good-by.'
Her voice faltered here, but the
trembling hands kept on placing the
stones.
"War is cruel, madam-too cruel"
Carroll could not help saying, as the
sad story brought all that terriblepast
before him. at must have been very
hard for you then. and none to help
you"
ooh yes, sir; and .en it came-what
had dreaded from the time he left.
To be sure, they did not tell me how
badly he was shot, but oh, ! knew!
and left the children with a neighbor
and started for the camp. When |
came into the hospital tent he was say
ing, 'Helenl Helen' and ! thought he
knew me, but he didn't. He had been
saying it all along they told me.
Well, the doctor could do no more,
they said, and so they left me with
him. All that long night / held his
hands, so white and cold, and Thought
OF the little ones, and of the empty
home there, and-but Icannot tell youl
Somehow it all came back, every little
.hing he had ever done for me.
at all seemed so plain-I could see
him doing up the chores at the barn
again, and then coming up the path
with the pals in one hand and leading
little Walter with the other When he
came through the woodshed and into
the kitchen, | could hear his steps so
plain, and the door open and shut
lust the same rattle in the latch.
ooh, | thought ] should die! And
when | cried out to him they told me
/ must 90 away if made a noise. So
! kept still, though it seemed my heart
would burst.
"Well, along towards morning, as |
sat looking at his paleface, all at once
he opened his eyes and smiled, Just as
he used to. Then his lips moved, and
] could just hear him say
ayes, | have come; | always told
you | would come back. "Now, where
is the baby, Helen? Then | held my
ear close to his lips for a long time,
but could hear no more, and when l
looked again, he lay so still"
Carroll could not see the stone he
was trying to place; still he kept his
head bowed, and worked on as well as
he could.
"Well, / brought him home" she
continued, "and when they laid him
in our little front room it did seem as
though the children would wake him,
but of course it couldn't be, and we
laid him here. And that winter we
brought the baby here and laid it be.
side him. was so tired then wanted
to hug the poor little thing up to me,
and lie down there with them. But it
wouldn't do; there were two left, but
they must be fed. So / did the best l
could for them till-oh, it don't seem
so long, No, but then it is; yes, it is
seven years ago tomorrow since we
brought little Walter here. He was
such a little man--so like his fatherl''
Here the wrinkled hands stopped
laying stone, and when Carroll looked
up, one was holding the worn hand
I 4 - l.. l.